The Embassy of Sri Lanka, responding to an extensive disinformation campaign regarding the history of Sri Lanka, being carried out by the separatist lobby in the US and elsewhere, has developed a PowerPoint program, with authentic historical information on pertinent issues.
For instance:
* According to the “Temporal and Spiritual Conquest of Ceylon”, Portuguese Historian De Queyros (Book I; page 101), by the early 16th Century, the island was divided into 5 sub-kingdoms; “that of Cota (Kotte) to which all others were tributary (subordinate) acknowledging the King as Emperor.” One such Sub-Kingdom with a Sub-Ruler was Jaffnapatnam.
* Rev. Phillipus Baldeus, the Dutch historian, who lived in Jaffna for many years around 1658 A.D., stated that the ruler of Jaffna had jurisdiction over a limited area in the north, including Jaffnapattnam, the adjacent isles and the island of Mannar.
* Robert Knox, the Englishman, who landed in Kottiyar in the Trincomalee District in 1659 A.D., was apprehended by the Dissawa of Tambalegam (Tambalagama or Tampalakamam), and was produced before the King in Kandy.
These, among other authentic historical facts, prove that the statement in the Vadukkodai Resolution of 1976 that Tamils were in possession of the northern and eastern provinces from the dawn of history, is a myth.
These facts prove that the East was never a part of a Tamil Kingdom, as the separatist lobby falsely claims.
The PowerPoint program presents a better understanding of the history of the island and the myths surrounding the conflict.
http://www.slembassyusa.org/features/2008/why_a_separate_27jun08.pdf
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Obituary - Tamil Eelam (1922-2009)
Obituary - Tamil Eelam (1922-2009)
Sep 29th, 2008
By 2009 Tamil Elam would have survived for 87 long, miserable years and died. The mythical state that was built on myths, deception, lies, terror and rubbish would have ended the promise of a modern day Chola kingdom for many Tamil racist elements around the world. This is an ideal opportunity to look back at the history of the mythical state not because it has anything of note, but rather because its evolution into a large terroristan may be emulated by many other separatist groups.
Tamil Eelam was conceived in the mind of the great scholar Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam in 1922. He unveiled his brainchild in 1922 at the gathering of his Ceylon Tamil League. He stated in no uncertain terms that Tamil Eelam must be achieved by Tamil people. “We should keep alive and propagate these ideals throughout Ceylon and promote the union and solidarity of what we have been proud to call Tamil Eelam.”(source:Tamilnation.org; http://www.tamilnation.org/selfdetermination/tamileelam/2200arunachalam.htm).
Unfortunately for the movement, he died two years later. However, his movement survived. It merged with the other racist current that was forming at that time. In 1918 Tamil leaders headed by The Jaffna Association demanded a race-based representation from the British to be established in Sri Lanka instead of a territorial representation system. They wanted equal representation by Tamils as the Sinhalese although their population percentage was just a fraction of the Sinhala population. This came into prominence as the 50/50 demand.
Each of these ultra racist demands complimented the other and they started a long journey towards Tamil Eelam. Aggression of Tamil race-based political parties increased from 1947 to 1977 and culminated in 1977 when the TULF unashamedly advocated violence as the only viable means of achieving Tamil Eelam. By that time the first shots have already been fired by the LTTE. Since then it was a rickety ascend for the LTTE. From stalemate to stalemate, the LTTE survived and increased its fighting capability. LTTE’s journey towards Tamil Eelam received an unprecedented uplift in 2002 when the Sri Lankan government accepted the existence of a de facto state in parts of the North and the East where the LTTE wielded its cruel control. In 2006 this nation commenced its planned response to LTTE aggression.
The present one is undoubtedly the longest sustained military campaign which is not over yet. Operations started in 1983 took a big step backwards in 1985 when military plans were redrawn following a halt for Thimpu talks. Conflict resumed thereafter only to be halted in mid 1987. IPKF was active from late 1987 to 1989 after which they had to pack-up and leave. Operations started in mid 1990 were of very short duration and by late 1992 a stalemate had set in. Offensive operations commenced again in late 1993 that ended in early 1994. After a period of honeymoon the CBK administration recommenced operations in mid 1995 that ended by January next year until the historical Mulaitivu attack restarted operations in mid 1996. Amidst large-scale reversals these operations continued till late 1999. When accounted for reversals, the length of success of security forces is much shortened.
Unlike past operations, the present operation is not ‘fatigued’. In fact the opposite is true; the offensive capabilities and firepower had steadily increased along with aggression. Fatigue on the part of a conventional army is something all guerrilla groups look out for. If it is not forthcoming within a reasonable time within which the guerrilla group can sustain itself, things look bleak for them. Sri Lankan war witnessed a classic stalemate by late 1999 that eventually ended up in the Norwegian brokered CFA (Ceasefire Agreement) in 2002.
What are purported as military victories catalyst public support for war on one hand and on the other public support instigate more and more military victories. This rhythm or the vicious cycle as some call it has been the biggest invention of this government. That has been the key driver behind their political and military success. It had a major impact on other political parties as well. UNP split into two groups of heavyweights and the remaining UNP took a militaristic stand at the last election. A similar thing happened to the JVP. Although it’s Marxist hardcore want to disperse the war in favour of public welfare, it is torn between the war and workers’ short term welfare.
At the same time the government managed to promote its regional allies in the North and the East against traditional political parties (and their residue) in these areas. Without a doubt these parties will yield enormous clout at future national elections.
The demise of the LTTE is the collective outcome of all these interconnected developments.
Those who preached that there is no military resolution to the conflict quietly swallowed their own words. The war is not over yet; it will not end with the liberation of Kilinochchi, but the ability to find a lasting solution is far greater today than ever before mainly through military means.
Tamil Elam is near its end and there is little doubt that its death would be a violent one. However, the myth of Tamil Eelam will continue to live in the minds of Tamil racist elements throughout the world like a monster in a horror movie that emerges from part to part. Following the war, there should be a political solution that can dissolve all possibilities of Tamil Eelam. The political solution should not be a one that can provide breeding grounds for Tamil Eelam; instead it should be something that necessitates the complete breakdown of Tamil Eelam for the development of Sri Lanka. If Tamil nationality, Tamil sovereignty and Tamil right of self-determination are the aspirations towards Tamil Elam, a successful political solution should destroy each and every one of these aspirations completely. That will be the burial of Tamil Eelam.
by Dilrook Kannangara
source:Lankaweb
Sep 29th, 2008
By 2009 Tamil Elam would have survived for 87 long, miserable years and died. The mythical state that was built on myths, deception, lies, terror and rubbish would have ended the promise of a modern day Chola kingdom for many Tamil racist elements around the world. This is an ideal opportunity to look back at the history of the mythical state not because it has anything of note, but rather because its evolution into a large terroristan may be emulated by many other separatist groups.
Tamil Eelam was conceived in the mind of the great scholar Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam in 1922. He unveiled his brainchild in 1922 at the gathering of his Ceylon Tamil League. He stated in no uncertain terms that Tamil Eelam must be achieved by Tamil people. “We should keep alive and propagate these ideals throughout Ceylon and promote the union and solidarity of what we have been proud to call Tamil Eelam.”(source:Tamilnation.org; http://www.tamilnation.org/selfdetermination/tamileelam/2200arunachalam.htm).
Unfortunately for the movement, he died two years later. However, his movement survived. It merged with the other racist current that was forming at that time. In 1918 Tamil leaders headed by The Jaffna Association demanded a race-based representation from the British to be established in Sri Lanka instead of a territorial representation system. They wanted equal representation by Tamils as the Sinhalese although their population percentage was just a fraction of the Sinhala population. This came into prominence as the 50/50 demand.
Each of these ultra racist demands complimented the other and they started a long journey towards Tamil Eelam. Aggression of Tamil race-based political parties increased from 1947 to 1977 and culminated in 1977 when the TULF unashamedly advocated violence as the only viable means of achieving Tamil Eelam. By that time the first shots have already been fired by the LTTE. Since then it was a rickety ascend for the LTTE. From stalemate to stalemate, the LTTE survived and increased its fighting capability. LTTE’s journey towards Tamil Eelam received an unprecedented uplift in 2002 when the Sri Lankan government accepted the existence of a de facto state in parts of the North and the East where the LTTE wielded its cruel control. In 2006 this nation commenced its planned response to LTTE aggression.
The present one is undoubtedly the longest sustained military campaign which is not over yet. Operations started in 1983 took a big step backwards in 1985 when military plans were redrawn following a halt for Thimpu talks. Conflict resumed thereafter only to be halted in mid 1987. IPKF was active from late 1987 to 1989 after which they had to pack-up and leave. Operations started in mid 1990 were of very short duration and by late 1992 a stalemate had set in. Offensive operations commenced again in late 1993 that ended in early 1994. After a period of honeymoon the CBK administration recommenced operations in mid 1995 that ended by January next year until the historical Mulaitivu attack restarted operations in mid 1996. Amidst large-scale reversals these operations continued till late 1999. When accounted for reversals, the length of success of security forces is much shortened.
Unlike past operations, the present operation is not ‘fatigued’. In fact the opposite is true; the offensive capabilities and firepower had steadily increased along with aggression. Fatigue on the part of a conventional army is something all guerrilla groups look out for. If it is not forthcoming within a reasonable time within which the guerrilla group can sustain itself, things look bleak for them. Sri Lankan war witnessed a classic stalemate by late 1999 that eventually ended up in the Norwegian brokered CFA (Ceasefire Agreement) in 2002.
What are purported as military victories catalyst public support for war on one hand and on the other public support instigate more and more military victories. This rhythm or the vicious cycle as some call it has been the biggest invention of this government. That has been the key driver behind their political and military success. It had a major impact on other political parties as well. UNP split into two groups of heavyweights and the remaining UNP took a militaristic stand at the last election. A similar thing happened to the JVP. Although it’s Marxist hardcore want to disperse the war in favour of public welfare, it is torn between the war and workers’ short term welfare.
At the same time the government managed to promote its regional allies in the North and the East against traditional political parties (and their residue) in these areas. Without a doubt these parties will yield enormous clout at future national elections.
The demise of the LTTE is the collective outcome of all these interconnected developments.
Those who preached that there is no military resolution to the conflict quietly swallowed their own words. The war is not over yet; it will not end with the liberation of Kilinochchi, but the ability to find a lasting solution is far greater today than ever before mainly through military means.
Tamil Elam is near its end and there is little doubt that its death would be a violent one. However, the myth of Tamil Eelam will continue to live in the minds of Tamil racist elements throughout the world like a monster in a horror movie that emerges from part to part. Following the war, there should be a political solution that can dissolve all possibilities of Tamil Eelam. The political solution should not be a one that can provide breeding grounds for Tamil Eelam; instead it should be something that necessitates the complete breakdown of Tamil Eelam for the development of Sri Lanka. If Tamil nationality, Tamil sovereignty and Tamil right of self-determination are the aspirations towards Tamil Elam, a successful political solution should destroy each and every one of these aspirations completely. That will be the burial of Tamil Eelam.
by Dilrook Kannangara
source:Lankaweb
Eelam history had to be fabricated – Why?
Left: Map of the Kingdom of Jaffnapatnum by Phillipus Baldaeus 1672 AD
Right: Map by Sieur Sansen 1652 AD showing nine principalities including Imperio de Cota (Imperial Kotte)
Kingdom of Jaffnapatnum
"Traditional Homelands" The Verdict of Cartographic History
The following is an extract from an article published by A. Denis. N. Fernando, Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences and Recipient of the 11th RAS medal.
The idea of "traditional homelands of the Tamil speaking people" is based on the argument that the Northern Province and Eastern Province in their entireties were occupied by Tamil people for very long periods, if not throughout history: and that therefore these areas are theirs by right and that they had a distinct and separate political identity from the rest of the country. This concept is being repeated so often, and even the newspapers have ceased to refer to a "Northern Province" and an "Eastern Province" and now talk of a "North East"; that by such repetition they are tending to be accepted as incontestable facts. Goebells was the master of the art of repeating lies often enough to have them eventually accepted as truths CYPRIANO SANCHEZ (c 1560 AD) rendered during the Portuguese era indicates that there were nine principalities in Sri Lanka with only one of them indicated as "emperor"- Imperio de Cota or Emperor of Kotte. These nine principalities were; Imperio de Cota (Imperial King of Kotte), Reino de Ceitaabaca (Ruler of Sitawaka), Reino de Candea (Ruler of Kandy), Reino de Jaffnapatnum (Ruler of Jaffna), Reino de Setra Coralas (Ruler of Seven Korales), Chilao Reino (Ruler of Chilaw), Reino de Triquilemale (Ruler of Trincomalee), Reino de Baticalou (Ruler of Batticaloa, Reino de Yala (Ruler of Yala).
Map by Sieur Sansen 1652 AD showing nine principalities including Imperio de Cota (Imperial Kotte)
This map is supported by the French Cartographer Sieur Sansen's map of 1652. Reference is also made to the writings of Joannes Hugo Linschoten of Netherlands (c 1750) who relates his voyage to the portuguese Indies with the Bishop of Goa where he too states that there were nine principalities in Ceylon, the most powerful king being Cota (Kotte) to which annual tribute was paid by the others who are named as Janasapitan (Jaffna), Trinquinamale, Batecalon, Villassen (Wellassa), Tenanaka (Denawaka), Laula (Yala), Cande and Galle.
The first detailed map of Jaffna Principality and adjacent islands was that of Rev. Phillipus Baldeas (1672) (first map shown at begining) is clear that the Kingdom of Jaffna did not extend to the mainland, but was confined to the Peninsula and the islands.
Peninsular Jaffna came into prominence with the break up of the Vijayanagara Empire, especially after the downfall of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom. Remnants of the armies of the South Indian invaders settled down in Jaffna and the Vavunia area in particular.
With the introduction of Tobacco by the Portuguese, economic prosperity came to the North. The encouragement given by the Portuguese and the Dutch to small holders to grow tobacco brought in large numbers of entrepreneurs, who mainly came from the Coromandel coast and settled in Peninsular Jaffna. They brought with them their familiar technology of the well and the shadaff, using slaves to draw water into the fields. This was the time when the population of Jaffna grew rapidly. It has been recorded by Percival (1805) in his book "An account of the island of Ceylon" and by others that there were more foreigners in Jaffna than the people who were native to Jaffna. These "foreigners" were those who came from the Coromandel to grow tobacco. The legacy of the tobacco boom in Jaffna is reflected in the 80,000 odd wells that have been used and are still being used for irrigation.
Dutch Admiral Jois van Spilberge landed at Batticaloa in 1602 and he had to visit the Court of Kandy through Mahiyangana and Madamahanuwara to meet King Wimala Dharma Suriya to discuss political relationships. He did not go to the court of Jaffna even if there was one then. Likewise a few years later Robert Knox who landed at Koddiyar Bay (Trincomalee) was taken prisoner by the dissawa of Tambulegam (who was under the suzeeiainty of Kandy) and brought to the court of Kandy.
Another mission that landed at Trincomalee was that of the French under Admiral de la Haige in March, 1672, when the French envoy Capt. Nanclair de Lanerolle was sent to Kandy, who was clapped in jail by the King for being arrogant in the Kings presence and who later settled down in Kandy.
The British mission of John Pybus went from Trincomalee to the court of Kandy in 1762.
All this and other evidence proves that it was the Kingdom of Kandy that ruled over the Eastern Province and that the Kingdom of Jaffnapatnum was restricted to the Jaffna peninsula and the islands, and paid tribute to the more powerful rulers of Kotte and then Kandy.
The territorial claims of the Tamil Terrorist's to parts of the East and West have no historical basis. Therefore they say that parts of the East and the West are" Home Lands" because Tamil speaking people live in these areas. This definition would also include the Tamil suburbs of Colombo, London, Paris etc.
Buddhist remains in the Jaffna peninsula
Historical References
The Jaffna peninsula is mentioned in History for the first time connection with the story of the Buddha's visit to Sri Lanka. There it is mentioned as Nagadipa. There is no doubt whatsoever in the identification of Jaffna Peninsula as the ancient Nagadipa. The modern Sinhalese word Yapane is a variant form of the Sinhalese word Yapapatuna which occurs in Sinhalese literature. The Tamil word Yalpanam is a Tamil translation of the Sinhalese word Yapane.
The ancient inhabitants of Jaffna were Nagas and the ruling family is said to have been related to the ruling Naga family at Kelaniya. Therefore there is no doubt that the inhabitants then were Sinhalese who had a ruling family connected to a Sinhalese royal family is another part of the island.
The Buddha is said to have consecrated a site for worship and tohave planted a Kiripalu tree. Kiæng Bhatikatissa (2nd century A.D.) built a relic house at the foot of the Kiripalu tree. Aggbodhi II (6th century A.D.) made benefactions to the same vihara.
Jambukola was the port which the envoys of Devanampiyatissa set forth to India. The landing of the sacred Bodhi Tree with Sanghamitta too took place at the same port in Jaffna. The site has been identified as modern Sambilturai near Kankasanturai. At the moment a monument has been constructed by the department of Archaeology at the site to commemorate the incident. A temple was built and a sapling was planted at the site by King Devanampiyatissa. Vijayabahu I (11th century) repaired the Jambukola vihara. This proves the fact that even up the 11th century the Sinhalese Kings had extended their royal authority to Jaffna continuously.
Tissamahavihara built by Devanampiyatissa was repaired by Kanitthatissa (2nd century A.D.) and was improved by Voharika Tissa (3rd century A.D.). A vihara called Pacinarama was also built by Devanampiyatissa.
Vasabhas Gold plate found at Vallipuram near Point Pedro mentions a minister named Piyaguka Tissa who built a vihara. As the word Piyaguka is identical with Piyagudipa where 12,000 monks are said to have resided, this particular minister must have hailed from Piyangudipa which has been identified without any doubt as modern Panguduitva. This fact proves that the peninsula and its environs have been occupied by Sinhalese people during the 1st century A.D.
Mangala vihara which was in the North was restored by Dhatusena (5th cen.A.D.). King Mallaka Naga too founded a vihara called Salipabbata vihara in Nagadipa.
A Cola inscript on of the 8th year of Rajadhiraja II mentions the preparation made at a port called Urattunai which is the Uratota in the Sinhalese chronicle and literature. The site is modern Kayts. This is a very important piece of evidence to prove that Jaffna was under the control of Sinhalese Kings even during 12th century. Ports at Vallikaman (Valigama) and Mattuvil are also mentioned in the campaigns on Prakramaahu I. Valigama is mentioned in Sigiri Graffitti where a Sinhalese person had visited Sigiri and had inscribed a Graffitti in Sinhala which proves that during the eight century the Valikamen area had been populated by the Sinhalese.
The Tamilisation of Jaffna peninsula was started after the Cola invasions which took place during the 13th century and was more or less completed during the time of Aryacakravartis whose control of the Jaffna peninsula commenced during the 13th century. (For Arya Kingdom in North Ceylon. See
Paranavithana, JRASCB Vol. VII. Pt.2 (new series) pp.174ff.
BUDDHIST REMAINS
Kantarodai
This site is situated in the N/Valikaman D.R.O's Division in the village of Kantarodai. This site is referred to as the Kadivungoda vihara in the Nam-pota. The bases of twenty-two dagabas with diameters ranging from 8ft to 12ft. Were exposed from the excavations here and one dagaba with a diameter of about 231/2ft. From the site have been recovered dagaba finials of lime stone caskets, Bodhisatva head of lime-stone, pillar stumps, a sacred foot print stone etc. The first excavations at the site had yielded Buddha statues and other Buddhist remainings such as dagaba finials. A huge limestone Buddha statue recovered from the excavations are exhibited in the Jaffna Archaeological Museum.
Nilavarai
The site Nilavarai is situated in the N/Valikaman D.R.O's Division on the village of Navakiri. From the site has been recovered the upper part of a Buddha statue elegently modelled in the Abhaya-mudra. The statue is now on display at the Jaffna museum.
Not far from the place of find of the statue are the remains of a dagaba which may belong to the 10th century. Nearby are also the remains of a rectangular building which may have been an image house. At the site a Bo-tree and a deep well are seen.
Uruthirupuram Colony
The site is situated in the Philai Palai Karachchi D.R.O.'s Division in the village of Uruthirupuram. The remains of two ancient structured are found beside the road from Urithirupuram Colony to the tank. A small dagaba in the vicinity has been destroyed.
Vavunikulam
The site is situated in the D.R.O.'s Division of Tunukkai in the village of Vavunikulam in the district of Jaffna. The torso of a standing Buddha statue was unearthed at the site. Nearby are the two pillars of some structure with a brick foundation around them. A broken flower altar, a broken moon-stone
and a fragment of a stone door frame are found at the site. There are three other mounds which mark the site of ancient buildings.
Chunnakam
The site is situated near the railway station of chunnakam (Sinh. Hunugama). To the west of the rail track is situated a mound which mark the remains of an ancient dagaba. In 1917 Dr. Paul E. Peris had found a finial of a dagaba from the site.
Koddiya Wattai
Koddiya Wattai is a hamlet close to Chunnakam. The suffis Wattai indicates that the name is Sinhala which is a variation of watta (garden). Excavations at the site were conducted in 1917 and the remains of a dagaba had been discovered. A Buddha statue was discovered from the site in 1902.
Mallakam
Mallagama is situated in the Nam-pota. Two fragments of a yantragala ( a depost-stone) were found from the site. A pond in the rock is still called Kat-Pokanai which is the Tamil form of the Sinhalese word gal-pokuna.
Mahiyapiti
A Buddha Statue and the architectural members of a dagaba and other religious buildings have been discovered by P.E. Peiris.
Uduvil
Uduvil is situated close to Kantarodai. Four stone finials of dagabas have been discovered from the site.
Puloli
Puloli is situated two miles from Point Pedro. A siripatul stone was discovered from the site. Remains of other buildings too are visible on the site.
Gotha-maluva-watta
A site called Gotha-maluva-watta is found on the road to Point Pedro from Ponnalai. It is situated about a quarter mile away from Ponnalai. Though no structural remains were found the name of the site which has a Sinhalese origin is very interesting. The word Gotha ( ) is an abbreviated form of Gotami or Gautami which means an honoured lady. Most probably it may be referring to Sanghamitta who brought the Bodhi Tree as the site is situated closer to Sambiliturai in which port she landed with the sacred Tree. An excavation conducted at the site yielded the remains of a building which could be the remains of monastic establishment founded in connection with the arrival of the Bodhi Tree.
The mythical Tamil homeland
1) If Tamils came earlier than the Sinhalese, why are they only two million, while the Sinhalese, subject to decimation, both by recurrent epidemics of Malaria and at the hands of South Indian invaders, have become 13 million? Were Tamils less fertile?
2) Why did they, who were adventurous enough to leave their native soil and cross the seas, remain confined to the arid one-third of the island in the north, and allow the Sinhalese who admit they came in boatloads from North India around 600 BC, to spread themselves out over the salubrious two thirds of the island?
3). Could the Sinhalese have been so foolish, to establish a Kingdom around 400 BC in Anuradhapura, and later in Polonnaruwa, when surrounding both these kingdoms on the west, north and east, there was this so-called ANCIENT Tamil Kingdom? and Why did the Tamils allow the Sinhalese to build their capitals and all those enormous buildings just south of their Tamil homeland?
4). Could such a glorious Kingdom in Anuradhapura for 1400 years, from 400 BC to 1029 AD, with so much of irrigation works being undertaken, and where such huge solid monuments were built, have survived, if it was really closely surrounded by this so-called Tamil Kingdom, which has left no monuments at all?
Tamil Separatists are attempting to re-write the history of Sri Lanka by claiming the existence of a Tamil Homeland in ancient Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has a recorded history of over 2,500 years, but no where in this history is there a mention of a Tamil Homeland. Many archaeological finds have been made in Sri Lanka, dating back to over 3,000 years, but not a single find points to the existence of a Tamil Homeland. Yet the Tamil separatists who are waging a bloody terrorist campaign in Sri Lanka are attempting justify their terrorists acts by claiming to fight for this mythical homeland. So what is Tamil Eelam and where is this "Tamil Homeland?"
"The Broken Palmyra" a book written by TAMIL UNIVERSITY TEACHERS FROM JAFFNA (for which one of the authors paid with her life, at the hands of the LTTE), says, "By 1976 the leading Tamil parties including the Federal Party of G.G. Ponnambalam and Mr Thondaman's Ceylon Workers Congress representing plantation Tamils, and Prof. Sunderalingam, a prominent Tamil nationalist, had combined to form the TULF (Tamil United Liberation Front). In this year (1976) was adopted the Vadukoddai Resolution which put forward an Independent State of Tamil Eelam as being the solution to the problems of the Tamils... It can be safely assumed that there was no viable plan to fight for such a state.
Mr M. Tiruchelvam a senior member of the TULF who was in Colombo at the time the resolution for a separate state was adopted, sensing trouble asked Mr Amirthalingam, "What is the meaning of this?" Mr Amirthalingam replied that, this resolution was adopted under pressure from the youth, and that when the time comes to negotiate with the government, a compromise can be reached. But it can be safely assumed there was no viable plan to fight for such a state. Having promised Tamil Eelam, the TULF kept on saying they had a secret plan..."(Broken Palmyra pg. 16-18)
The Broken Palmyra continues: "Thus the Tamil burgeois leadership had to adopt the slogan of Tamil Eelam, the cry for a separate state for their political existence. But they had no concrete programme...Of course the Tamil nationalists could not pull the Eelam rabbit out of the parliamentary hat. The leadership had put forward a cry that they knew could never be fulfilled in a constitutional way, and Eelam had never been practicable with their class's economical integration and dependency on the south... They kept the people under an illusion, by such slogans, calling the TULF leader Chelvanayagam, the Mujibur of Eelam, and even hinted at taking arms from the election platforms. Critics of these slogans were called traitors to the "cause"...Tamil nationalists like their counterparts had a sense of superiority. Their historical build up from the feudal past was equally mythical and romantic. They were feeding their electorates and the youth with images of valour, preservation of race, language and a history heavily loaded with anti-Sinhalese, pro-Indian ingredients... They attributed their high levels of literacy and education to their superior intelligence, as opposed to the Sinhalese, whom they claimed were lazy and less intellectually inclined. The anger that the old guard Tamil leadership felt against the Sinhalese domination was due to their perception of themselves as rulers in the past, now enslaved by an "alien people."(pp 338-9)
Tamil lawyer and former Minister for Home Affairs (1987) K.W. Devanayagam had said, there are large areas in Bintenne and Wewagampitiya (in Eastern Province) which had never been Tamil homelands. They were "Sinhalese and Kandyan for centuries." When he came to the east to practice as a lawyer 50 years earlier, there were hardly any Tamils around - "the eastern province cannot be considered a Traditional Tamil Homeland." ("Indian Intervention" by Rohan Guneratne pg 169)
The Tamil historian, Rasanayagam, in his book "Ancient Jaffna" has said "Jaffna was occupied by Sinhalese earlier than by Tamils, is seen, not only in the place names but also in some of the habits and customs of the people."
Prof. Iyengar, in the preface he wrote to the "Ancient Jaffna" by Rasanayam (1962) rightly says, "Eelam is the ancient version of the Sinhala word Sihala or Sinhala. Therefore Eelam stands for the entirety of Ceylon".
That is correct. Sri Lanka was known as Heladipa, the island of the "Hela" people. Ka, in Hela language means land. Hence Helanka was land of the Hela people. Later it became Elanka and finally Lanka by which name Sri Lanka was known to all Asian countries. So it is quite possible that Eelam refers to "Elanka or Lanka."
Historian Codrington also says, "place names in Jaffna indicate that it was held by the Sinhalese at no very remote date, and it was certainly part of the dominion of Parakramabahu I...and colonisation of Jaffna by Tamils, cannot be of extreme antiquity." [Parakramabahu (1153-1186AD) - a Sinhala King ruled over entire Lanka.]
TAMIL EELAM or THAMIL EELAM and TAMIL HOMELANDS/KINGDOM are words that came into the Sri Lankan vocabulary only in the last 2 or 3 decades (around 1970s). And there is also talk of a TAMIL NATION!
Even the 60 million Tamils in South India do not call themselves a NATION!
The 77% Sinhalese do not call themselves a Nation. We, Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers are one Sri Lankan Nation. Our Nationality we state as "Sri Lankan." So how can 12% (2 million) Tamils call themselves a Tamil Nation?
In 1885 the Separatist movement began in South India. Angry that they were represented in the Presidency by "Brahamins", the south Indian Tamils in 1917 formed the JUSTICE PARTY and campaigned for a "non-Brahamin seat" in the Presidency. Next they formed the DRAVIDA KASAGAM PARTY against Hindi, the language of the north Indians, being imposed on them.
In 1944 Tamil Nadu (south India) raised the cry for separation. While other Indians and most Asian countries under the British, wanted the British to leave their countries as fast as possible, the South Indians pleaded with the English not to leave without granting them a separate state, called DRAVIDA DESAM (Tamil State) in which they included parts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Malabar. But Tamil not being their language, the people in those states, resented being included in a "Dravida" State.
In 1958, Indian Tamils began rioting in Tamil Nadu and burnt the Indian Constitution. This made Nehru bring in the 16th Amendment to the Indian Constitution, which said that those running for office should uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India. This silenced the Indian Tamil leaders, but Sri Lankan Tamils began to get separatist ideas.
SRI LANKA is an island smaller than Tasmania or Ireland. It has a population of over 18 million (equal to that of Australia), consisting of 77% Sinhalese, mainly Buddhists; 12.6% Sri Lankan Tamils and 6.6% Indian Tamils mostly Hindus; and 7.7% Moors and Malays who are Islamists. The balance consists of Burghers, Indians, and others. The Burghers, some Sinhalese and some Tamils account for the 5.5% Christians.
The 6.6% Indian Tamils were brought in after the British took over Sri Lanka in 1815 to work in Tea plantations in the Central and southern regions, as indentured labour. Sri Lankan Tamils include mainly those who came with the 17 or so Indian invasions from South India that plagued Sri Lanka since 200 BC, and then stayed behind.
The Invader came with a Tamil army from South India, killed the Sinhala King and sat on the Sinhala throne, and ruled over the Sinhala people. When attacked by the Sinhalese, the invader if he escaped death and some of his soldiers ran back to India. There is no mention of even a single of these Invaders running to this so-called Tamil Homeland in the north (almost walking distance away), or even asking for men or other help from this "so-called Tamil Homeland" in the north of Sri Lanka!
There is no mention in any ancient history, of any of these Tamil kings, while sitting on the Sinhala throne, (or even any of the many Sinhala kings), having any dealings - peaceful or otherwise, with this northern neighbour, the so-called Tamil Kingdom!
The Sinhala kings were fully occupied with their irrigation works and religious activities and the building of those huge religious monuments they have left behind. So they had to get down Tamil mercenaries from South India to fight their battles and family feuds It is strange that there is no mention of any king getting Tamil mercenaries from this so-called kingdom in the north, where they could have walked to!
Those Tamil soldiers who stayed behind, plus other mercenaries brought over from India by Sinhala kings, plus those who came for trade or crossed the 17-mile shallow Palk straits for fishing, make up the 12.6% Sri Lankan Tamils, now in Sri Lanka.
More than half of these 2 million Sri Lankan Tamils live in the south, among the Sinhalese, Muslims and Burghers, owning houses in Colombo and in the south, running big businesses, hotels, professional businesses, small grocery shops and boutiques. Their clients include Sinhalese, Muslims and Burghers
Tamils have been State Ministers, Sri Lankan Ambassadors, Professors and lecturers in Colombo Universities, specialist doctors, judges and lawyers in Colombo and the south. They had the same rights and liberties as the Sinhalese, Muslims and Burghers.
They got nothing less than the Sinhalese, and the75% Sinhalese got nothing more than what other ethnic groups got.
At the time the Ethnic war raised its ugly head, in 1983, Chief Justice Shervananda, Attorney General Pasupati, Inspector General of Police Rudra Rajasingham who later became Ambassador in Indonesia (and whose father was Senior Surgeon in Colombo Hospital); Minister of Rural Development C. Rajadurai; Minister of Home Affairs K.W.Devanayagam and the Ambassador in UK, were all Tamils. The Mayor of Colombo a few years ago was a Tamil. Even in the 1960s, four of the five Eye Surgeons at Colombo Eye Hospital, several Physicians, Surgeons and Obstetricians and the Professor of Surgery in Colombo, were Tamils.
The Tamils live and own land in all nine provinces of Sri Lanka. In Wellawatte, the southernmost postal area of Colombo, about 90% of the population are Tamil.
Tamils have Tamil schools, Tamil Churches, Hindu Temples and large numbers of Tamil shops in Colombo and other southern cities. The Tamils have two Universities in the North and East, almost entirely for the 12.6% Sri Lankan Tamils. In the other Universities in the south, where Sinhalese students have to compete for places with Tamils, Muslims and Burghers, there are a fair number of Tamil Students. But no Sinhalese have ever complained of this!
In 1981 just before the Ethnic war escalated, the 12.6 % Tamils accounted for 25% of those entering University for Medical studies, 24% for Dentistry, 40% for Veterinary Science. (The 6.6% Indian Tamils did not go for higher studies those days)
In 1980s the 12.6 % Tamils accounted for 34.9% engineers; 35% doctors; 38.8% Veterinary Surgeons and 33% Accounctants in Public service.
There is a recorded history of Sri Lanka spanning 2,500 years, of which the German Indologist, Wilhelm Geiger, wrote in 1982, "It is a well known fact that for hardly any part of the continent of India is there such an uninterrupted historical tradition as for the island of Ceylon....."
Bishop R.S. Copelston in an address to the Royal Asiatic Society said, ".....Their (Sinhalese ) chronicles are the oldest I believe, and for centuries, the only histories in the Indian World.......... The Sinhalese Chronicles are distinctly historical in form and not epical..."("Mahawamsa" by Guruge pg 400)
The Tamil Historian S.G. Gunasegaram ( "The Tamil" vol.1 January 1955) says, "Few people have had the good fortune to inherit such a comparatively reliable story of their hoary past, as the Sinhalese. The people of Ceylon in general and particularly the Sinhalese, are rightly proud of this ancient story of their long line of kings..... The Mahawamsa (ancient history of Sri Lanka) is superior, both in style and in content to the legendary chronicles........It is a book that should be in the library of EVERY EDUCATED CEYLONESE and should be read and re-read with understanding..." ("Mahawamsa" by Guruge pg 404)
These comments are made by responsible people, so the history must be reliable and far from fiction. Gunasegaram is a Tamil historian. Even Tamil historians do not make mention of anything comparable about "their" ancient Tamil kingdom in Sri Lanka!
Neither this 2,500 year old history, nor any of the other histories makes mention of a TAMIL KINGDOM/HOMELANDS except to say that Tamil invaders ruled over the Sinhalese from time to time, and that Tamil mercenaries were brought over by Sinhala Kings. Tamil being such an ancient language, it is surprising that there is no history of this Tamil nation or Kingdom. It is also surprising, when so many monuments and stone inscriptions have been left by Sinhala kings for over 2,500 years, there are no monuments or inscriptions left by this "so-called Tamil kingdom" in north Sri Lanka!
In 1938 Tamils wanted representation in Parliament to be 50% for the 75% Sinhalese, and 50% for the 25% other minorities.
No such request was ever made by any of the other minority groups- the Muslims, Malays and Burghers. So this 50% minority seats would have been for the Tamils! The British rightly refused this request. Even the Broken Palmyra written by Tamil University teachers, calls this, "an unreasonable demand!" (pg 12)
For the last 15 years a war has been waged for separation by Tamils who state they had an ancient Tamil kingdom called "Eelam", long before the Sinhalese came to Lanka from North India. This Tamil Kingdom or Tamil Homelands, is said to consist of the Northwest region, the North and east of Sri Lanka which constitutes one third of the land space, and two thirds of the coast line.
If they came before the Sinhalese why are they only Two Million with a kingdom confined to the north, while the Sinhalese have increased to fifteen million?
In 1984, two different Eelam Associations, one in Canada and one in Australia published two different Maps of their "ANCIENT EELAM."
The Australian Eelamists in their publication had included the Northwest, North and East of Sri Lanka. But the Canadian Eelamists went further. In a Map they had given to the PAN AM Calender they had included the northwest, North, East and the central parts of Sri Lanka, where live the Indian Tamils, who were brought in by British as indentured labour after 1815, to work in British Tea plantations.
This shows that even "educated Eelamist Tamils" are not certain, or have not studied the boundaries of their "so-called ancient Tamil kingdom". That obviously proves, no such kingdom existed. This is as strange as the claim made by some Tamils that they came to Australia before Captain Cook, and it was they "who garlanded Captain Cook when he arrived in Australia."
The questions that come to ones mind are :
1) If Tamils came earlier than the Sinhalese, why are they only two million, while the Sinhalese, subject to decimation, both by recurrent epidemics of Malaria and at the hands of South Indian invaders, have become 13 million? Were Tamils less fertile?
2) Why did they, who were adventurous enough to leave their native soil and cross the seas, remain confined to the arid one-third of the island in the north, and allow the Sinhalese who admit they came in boatloads from North India around 600 BC, to spread themselves out over the salubrious two thirds of the island?
3). Could the Sinhalese have been so foolish, to establish a Kingdom around 400 BC in Anuradhapura, and later in Polonnaruwa, when surrounding both these kingdoms on the west, north and east, there was this so-called ANCIENT Tamil Kingdom? and Why did the Tamils allow the Sinhalese to build their capitals and all those enormous buildings just south of their Tamil homeland?
4). Could such a glorious Kingdom in Anuradhapura for 1400 years, from 400 BC to 1029 AD, with so much of irrigation works being undertaken, and where such huge solid monuments were built, have survived, if it was really closely surrounded by this so-called Tamil Kingdom, which has left no monuments at all?
How could the Sinhalese have built all those Buddhist Dagobas in Kantharodai in the heart of Jaffna Peninsula, and in the Eastern province, and how could large numbers of Inscriptions on stones, which tell of the deeds of the Sinhala Kings have been left for posterity in the North and East, if these areas were under the Tamils before the Sinhalese came to Sri Lanka.
5). It is an undisputed fact that (a) Emporer Asoka of India sent missionaries to SRI LANKA (Anurdhapura) and most ASIAN KINGDOMS like Thailand and Burma around 200 BC to spread the Buddhist doctrine of the greatest son of India, Lord Buddha. But strangely enough, he did not care to send one to this so-called ANCIENT Tamil Kingdom just north of the Anuradhapura kingdom.b) Asoka sent his son, a monk, and daughter Sangamitta, a Nun, to the Sinhala Kingdom in Anuradhapura where they lived and preached for 48 long years till they died. But they who came all the way from North India never cared, or thought of, going to this so-called Tamil kingdom just walking distance away! WAS THIS DISCRIMINATION, by Asoka and his children against the Tamils?
6. Recorded history states that Sri Lanka was invaded as much as seventeen times by South Indian invaders. The first invasion around 230 BC, was by two brothers who ruled on the Sinhala throne over the Sinhala people for 22 years till they were killed by a Sinhala prince from the south. Ten years later, another South Indian, Elara, came and slew the Sinhala king, and ruled over the Sinhalese, on the Sinhala throne for 44 years. There is no mention of any transactions or treaties or aid, between these Tamil kings on the Sinhala throne and this Tamil kingdom, even when the Tamil kings were threatened by Sinhala princes from the South. It is strange that after 44 years on the Sinhala throne, Elara did not get help from this so-called Tamil kingdom to fight the Sinhalese, nor did he think of fleeing to the north to escape death. This proves no such kingdom existed, to which Elara could have gone for help!
7) Tamil being such an ancient language is it not surprising that there is no history nor inscriptions either in the North or East of Sri Lanka or in India, where mention is made of this so-called ANCIENT Tamil Kingdom in the north of Sri Lanka? The oldest Tamil Inscriptions left in Sri Lanka was by one King Parakramabahu I (a Sinhala King) who ruled over the entire island from AD 1153 to 1186. These referred to some wreckages off the coast of Jaffna. Another Tamil inscription found recently in Jaffna stated that the Sinhala King Vasabha (67-111 AD) ruled over Jaffna.
8) The only invasion mentioned as having come from the north of Sri Lanka was by one Chandrabhanu, who came from Malaya and tried to take over the Sinhala kingdom.in AD 1247. When he failed, he fled to Jaffna. History says he ruled in Jaffna for some time and then attacked the Sinhala kingdom from the north. This was the one and only attack on Sinhalese from the north and that too was by a Malayan. The second time he lost his life. This rule of his in Jaffna shows that there was no real "king of Jaffna" at the time, in 1247. The Sinhala king who was the real ruler of Jaffna was too far away in the south, to challenge or chase out Chandrabhanu!
However ancient Sri Lanka and India maintained friendly relations. It is mentioned that from ancient times Sinhala kings got down Indian princesses from India, when there were none suitable in Sri Lanka. But there is no mention of any being obtained from this supposed kingdom in the north of Sri Lanka! Thus when one of these Indian princesses did not bear children, the queen's brothers succeeded to the Sinhala throne. By this, the last four kings of Sri Lanka, from 1739 to 1815, were Nayakkar princes.
All these go to show, that there was no ancient Tamil Kingdom /Tamil Eelam/ Homeland in the North of Sri Lanka. So there can be no SRI LANKA - TAMIL EELAM WAR that these NGOs want stopped!
This tiny island, Sri Lanka, of 25,000 square miles can only exist as a Unitary State under one government. To the Sri Lankan government, all people living in Sri Lanka are "Sri Lankans belonging to one country."
That is why all Sri Lankan governments in the last 15 years have continued to send food and other essential supplies to the north, even though it was well known that the Tiger Terrorists took their share. "The only government which feeds the terrorists who are fighting it" remarked one UN official!
If Tamils had their own homeland, why did they not sign the Kandyan Convention and allow the Kandyan chiefs alone to sign the Convention which handed over the entire island to the British King in March 1815?
During the 133 years (1815 to 1948) that the British ruled over Sri Lanka as one country, why did not the Tamils demand to be treated separately?
Or when the British were leaving in 1948, why did not these Tamils, like the Tamils in South India, demand that they be given a separate state? At that time the Sinhalese, Tamils, Burghers and Muslim politicians fought as one people, one nation, to get independence! All this goes to show, that that there could not have been a separate Tamil kingdom in Sri Lanka.
This war has brought on so much of suffering and misery to all her people-Tamils, Sinhalese, Muslims and the Burghers. It has taken the country 100 years back!
If all this money spent on this unnecessary war, was spent on improving the country, Sri Lanka today, would have been one of the better countries in South East Asia. In fact in the early 1980s there were news items saying that foreign countries were looking towards having their conferences etc in Sri Lanka, because 'the country is beautiful, climate is good, hotels are good and there is so much to see and enjoy on a trip to this Island Paradise.'
Those Tamil leaders who first wanted to separate this island, (who, according to the Tamil authors of Broken Palmyra, raised the "cry for a separate state for their political existence") are dead and gone -some killed by the very terrorists whom they fathered! The terrorist leader does not want to come to the negotiating table! He has said, "At no point will I contest an election or accept the Office of Chief Minister. The Liberation Tigers yearn for the motherland of Eelam " (Indian Intervention by Rohan Guneratne pg 216). He also had said "we will continue to fight for Eelam"
That means he will not serve under another person, under another government! So he must be the sole ruler in Sri Lanka or "in his state of Eelam in the north and east"
The LTTE and the government had promised Mr Olaru Ottunu that they would not attack civilians in this war. But even before Mr Ottunu could get back to the UN the Terrorists killed the highest civilian in the North- the newly elected Lady Mayor of Jaffna in her house in Jaffna, whose husband these terrorists killed in 1989, in her own home in Colombo, after coming there on appointment!
And even before the people could get over that shock, the next incumbent to that post was killed by a bomb attack on 11 September 1998.
In 1975 they began their killing spree, by killing the Mayor of Jaffna, Mr Alfred Duraiappa, whose fault apparently was to advised the youth against taking to arms!
We Sinhalese, never thought of Tamils as different from us. Whether Tamil, Muslim or Burgher we treated them as our equals. We studied with them. We worked with them. Many of our friends belong to these other ethnic groups. Our relatives have intermarried with them. We thought we were just one family, inspite of having different religions, different cultures, and different languages!
Due to 'the divide and rule policy' of the British, they established English schools in Tamil areas in the North. Thus, more Tamils studied English and got government jobs under the British rule. When the British left in 1948, the small Tamil minority of 12.6% had over 35% of government jobs, and they had to compete only with the Burghers for jobs. The majority Sinhalese, without an English education had to be content with the minor jobs! But the Sinhalese never complained!
Once the Sri Lankan government of Mr Bandaranaike (1956) made Sinhalese the Official language, more Sinhalese got government jobs and the Tamils then found, they had to compete with the Sinhalese for jobs! This annoyed the Tamils.
In the 1950s the Tamils conceived the idea of a Tamil Nation! That conception led to the idea of a separate state and to the Vaddukodai Resolution (1976) and gave birth to 'Eelam', to which was then added the ideas of a "Tamil homeland/Tamil Kingdom."
They want the Northern Province and the Eastern Province. That consists of one third of the land, and two thirds of the coastline for 12.6% of the population., to be separated by a "200 mile artificial border, which will have to be policed for the rest of the life of this planet! Is this an acceptable or feasible proposition?
Besides, this demarcation of the island to NINE provinces without natural borders, was done by the British for administrative convenience. In the time of the Sinhala kings Sri Lanka had four divisions using natural boundaries -the rivers.
It is interesting to read what the Tamil Congress Manifesto of 1971 said. "THE ALL CEYLON TAMIL CONGRESS is sincerely and honestly convinced that Federation is bad for Ceylon and it would be worse for the Tamils........The Tamil-speaking people must be clear in their own minds... Is it the objective of the Tamils that they live as equals with the Sinhalese, and enjoy the rights in all nine provinces of their motherland, or is it their objective that they should contain themselves within the narrow confines of the North and East? The Congress refuses to believe that Tamils will surrender their rights which they have so far enjoyed in the other (seven) provinces...." (1971 was the year the Vaddukodai Resolution was signed.)
Sir Vythilingam Doraisamy(a Tamil) who was Speaker in the State Council of Ceylon in 1931 said, "Never did I in my political career think of communalism when I advocated reforms. We Tamils, worked for the good of the whole island......Our safety lies in the safety of the Sinhalese race. Our freedom lies in the freedom of the Sinhalese. The policy of divide and rule shall not make us great.."
Mr E.R. Tambimuttu (Eastern Province Tamil Leader 1938) said, "We in the East feel our destiny is bound up with the destiny of the Sinhalese. I have in all my 15 years in this council believed that our progress in Ceylon does not depend on the 50/50 principle but in corporation and goodwill between us......."
Mr Justice Sansoni, a much respected Burgher Judge, in his report on the Inquiry into the 1977 Racial Riots said, "........Nothing was further from the minds of the people of Sri Lanka throughout its history, than a division of the country, under which separate areas will belong to a particular racial or language group......every inhabitant treated it as its own, as well as everybody else's, and was proud to belong to it and own it. All races and religions regarded the entire island as their common home, for no part of it was separately owned by any group...... The establishment of a separate state to be owned and overned by any particular group will affect and diminish the rights, powers and privileges that are already invested in the entire population. It cannot be permitted and it will be strenuously resisted, unless the entire nation gives its consent to such a change. Such consent will, if I correctly read the mood and temper of the nation, never be given and any attempt to establish a separate state will inevitably result in civil war and endless bloodshed." How prophetic he has been!
It is useful to also read what was in the editorial of The Calcutta Statesman, one of India's respected Newspapers, on 21 October 1995, soon after the bombing of the oil installations in Colombo,
"Some conclusions can be drawn. The security of vital installations is not up to scratch, the response of the armed forces is not quick enough and the government should pay more attention to the morale of the civilian population. It must be said that, to the extent that this dastardly act is in retaliation to the apparent success of the Army operation (Riviresa I) in Jaffna, it is an index of the plight of the Tigers rather than an assertion of their strength. Those woolly-headed wets in the west, who look upon the Tigers and their campaign of violence as the assertion of minority rights, must think again. There is still far too much aid in money and equipment flowing to the rebels for the good of peace and democracy in that once happy island.
"India has a great share of the responsibility. At the risk of repetition it is necessary to assert that at a crucial time in the development of their separatist movement, this country provided unlimited assistance, well beyond what could be justified on humanitarian grounds, assuming that this could have been an argument. We were playing with fire and we knew it. Indira Gandhi did it for political advantage, disregarding national interests and in fact working in opposition to them. It is time to make amends. If the Tigers are a ruthless and determined force, with no scruples and less humanity, it is we who made this possible. Sacrificing a former Prime Minister, is not enough atonement."
Now let us read what Mr Asbjorn Eide, a highly respected human rights expert in UN Human Rights sub-commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, stated very recently(1998) in Geneva.
"I shall now turn from that case to that of Sri Lanka. Some of my colleagues have been here long enough to remember that I, in 1983, was the first to criticise the government of Sri Lanka for its lack of effective measures to investigate the causes of massacres against the Tamils in the summer of 1983, including the killing of prisoners in Welikada prison.......But very much has changed since then. Among the Tamils an extremely militant group has emerged, calling itself the Tigers, abbreviated to LTTE. "Its leadership has developed an almost paranoid garrison mentality. That movement, particularly its leadership, respects no human rights. It engages in the most heinous crimes, using females, males and possibly even child-suicide bombers to create havoc and fear. Its killing is directed not only at the Sinhala enemies, including civilians and their religious temples, but also against their Tamil opponents, including the courageous Tamil woman who was recently the Mayor of Jaffna, until assassinated by the LTTE. Many Tamils including those who are struggling for devolution of power and the greater influence for the Tamils, live under the constant threat of assassination by the LTTE......
What baffles me is, that there are still International NGOs who lend support to this movement. They are not supporting the Tamil cause, but an utterly undemocratic movement, unable to contemplate peace in any form.
"At present the LTTE are battling for the minds and the money of the expatriate Tamil community. In order to continue its fruitless and endless war, the Tigers depend on this external financial support to purchase weapons and other means. The International community, the International NGOs and governments should now convince Tamil communities in their respective countries that the way to achieve Tamil human rights is through accommodation, based on equality for all, in the island of Sri Lanka....."
It is sad to see that, having been able to migrate to these countries and get jobs due to the liberal free- education given to them by that little island of Sri Lanka, some agents of Tamil terrorists have not an atom of gratitude, leave alone love, left for their country of birth, which is struggling to feed their relatives and friends left in Sri Lanka, and even feeding the very terrorists whose cause they are espousing!
Otherwise why would anyone want to go to the extent of leaving leaflets on every chair of the foreign delegates who attended the Sri Lankan Trade Fair in Melbourne, asking them not to trade with Sri Lanka?
In these few pages, an attempt has been made to draw attention in a small way to what this little island is going through. Some Tamil political groups say they have given up the demand for separatism and have given up the idea of Eelam. But they still retain the E {Eelam) and the L (Liberation) in their names!
Recent Newspaper reports say there were New Year Cards printed by one of the so-called Eelam Groups that are supporting the government, which shows the picture of a Tiger overpowering a Lion. If these reports are true, it means some "Eelam" groups have not given up this desire for a Eelam to be carved out from the northern parts of the island. This is something the Sinhalese have to be conscious of all the time.
That is a reminder to Sri Lankans, about what happened in the northern Provincial Council when Mr Varadarajah declared "Unilateral Declaration of Independence" and then fled the country. Such things make one wonder whether even Devolution is going to help!
From all evidence the map of Eelam is a myth
From all evidence the map of Eelam is a myth
by A. Denis N. Fernando
Fellow National Academy of Sciences
Details obtained from the original manuscript in the University of Leiden indicating the Territories of King Senarath (who died in 1635 during the Portugese Period). This same map with identical details but with corrected spelling and better caligraphy rendered with an array of plans of Dutch forts surrounding this map with the characteristic Dutch Cartouche was published in 1751 indicating no change during this period. The next change of boundaries took place in 1766 with the signing of the treaty between the Dutch and King Kirthi Rajasinghe, but was abrogated by the King as the Dutch did not conform to the treaty. | 1. Introduction: This is a subject I have studied in depth over a quarter century based on ancient maps and documents available in most libraries and achieves all over the world, I was fortunate to visit. Using these authentic documents and information I have logically processed them presented them to several journals both local and foreign as well as in the daily press which have been well received. At this crucial juncture when the future of our country is under debate it is necessary to inform the public as well as the Government of the FACTS before they take any decision as it would have a very great impact on the future of our country. We have a number of professional lawyers both in the government as well as in the opposition though they may be competent in the law, they would have to be briefed of the facts of the case, otherwise due to nonavailability of the FACTS, the lawyers would loose the case, however brilliant the lawyers could be. It is in this context that these facts are presented. |
2. Peninsula Jaffna: Historically with the incursions of Kalinga Magha and Chandrabanu with the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire they made a foothold in Sri Lanka. However with the fall of our hydraulic civilization in the 13th century due to a natural catyclymic natural change in the river course of the Mahaweli Ganga, these foreigners settled themselves in the sparsely populated areas of the Jaffna Peninsula occupied by the Sinhalese from ancient times.
With the pirating of the north western seaboard by the Mukkuwas and a threat to the Sinhalese Kingdom under Parakaramabahu VI, he sent his forces and brought this area under his control. He thereafter sent Prince Sapumal with his warrior forces to subjugate the remnant forces of Kalinga Magha in Peninsula Jaffna. This he did and was made Governor of Jaffna as well as that of Vanni. He built the Nalur Kandasamy temple and even to this day Sanskrit rituals mentions his name as Buwanakabahu, under which name he subsequently reigned as King over all Sri Lanka after the demise of Parakramabahu VI.
When Prince Sapumal returned to Kotte as King, Buwanakabahu VI, the Chieftains under Sapumal who were of the Singhe Dynasty took over Jaffna Peninsula and ruled, while the Vanni was governed by Th. Vannias. It is of importance to note that the two sons of Donna Catherina and King Senarath - Prince Wijepala and Prince Kumarasinghe married the two daughters of the legitimate Chieftain of Jaffna as they were considered Kshatriyas and eligible to marry Royalty according to custom. The Jaffna Chieftains as well as others were designated as subkings both by the Portuguese as well as the Dutch. In short there was mutual trust and understanding by the King and Chieftains in those times and there was intermarriage between them.
3. Map showing the political boundaries in Sri Lanka during the late Portuguese and major part of the dutch periods 1635 to 1766 namely from the time of King Senarath up to the time of the Dutch treaty of 1766 under Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe, which is indicated in the accompanying Map. The details of this map was obtained from the original Manuscript in the University of Leiden indicating the territories of King Senarath as well as that of the Dutch. This same original map with corrected spelling and better calligraphy and an array of plans of Dutch Forts surrounding this map with the charastic Dutch Cartouche was published in 1751 indicating no change during this period.
This map is very significant as it indicates the area of occupation of the Portuguese as well as the Dutch later. The area on the western seaboard included the areas from Walawe ganga to the Maha oya. Under Jaffnapatam included all islands together with the Peninsula as well Karetje categorized as Elephant pass, and the Dutch officer in charge of the outpost of Mannar also looked after Dutch interests in Mantotte, Nanatan and Moesley.
While the lands under two Vanni Chiefs paid tribute of Elephants and special types of timber to the company namely those of Panengamo, Karnawelpattoe, Meelpottoe, Poedockoeditripoe, Moeliawale, Karika-tomoela and Tennamarawadie.
The rest of the country was under the Kingdom of Kandy with warrior chieftains stationed as Dissawas, who were governors in the different Dissawanies and Korales directly responsible to the King of Kandy. However there were two Portuguese/Dutch forts along the eastern seaboards and constructed in its immediate vicinity within gunshot range distance.
The maritime area held by the Dutch Treaty of 1766 was abrogated by the King of Kandy in 1769 as the Dutch did not comply with the terms of the treaty. These areas were held by the Dutch de facto and were considered sulu Korales of the Kandyan Kingdom when the 1815 British Treaty was signed.
4. The Eelam Map. Whilst I visited the Library of Congress in Washington. I was shown the Map of Eelam produced by Mr. C. Sunderalingam together with the accompanying manuscript that indicated the hypothesis based for that claim. This map was based on a corupted version of the map of Ptolemy (circa 150 A.D), which interpretation has no rational basis as the traditional homelands of the Tamils. In fact Peninsula Jaffna was indicated as "Post que est Borem Prom" or the northern most promontory but had not indicated who inhabited it nor any harbours in its vicinity. Even Idrisi (1150 A.D) had not indicated Peninsula Jaffna no any harbors in its vicinity indicating that it was not of any importance. As stated earlier Peninsula Jaffna came into prominence in the 13th century with its occupation by Kalinga Magha and Chandrabanu. It must be reiterated here that the original settlers of Peninsula Jaffna which was sparcely occupied by ancient Sinhales and was overrun by the foreigners who came with Kalinga Magha with their displacement from the Vijayanagara Empire. After Sapumal had overcome them, he was appointed Governor of Jaffna as indicated earlier. Subsequently with the Portuguese conquering Jaffna Peninsula and the introduction of tobacco and its further enhancement by the Dutch with people from the Coramandal (better known as Maaba), using their technology of dugwell and shadaff, brought prosperity to Jaffna and the Jaffna cigar like the Cuban cigar became famous in these parts of the world. There small tobacco plots were owned by the new immigrants of Jaffna Tamils who were known as Vellalas with their slave labour and became very prosperous, and dominated the social structure. This social change placed the earlier settlers of the Singha dynasty and the warrior community at a disadvantage in the social order. This resulted even in the political division of the TULF and the LTTE.
Though the Elam Map of Sundaralingam adopted by both the TULF as well as the LTTE have no claim whatsoever to the lands outside the Peninsula, the inclusion of the Vanni is in question, as it was only recently with the help of Redbana and other NGO intermediation that after this area was settled by the government providing lands to the middle class clolnists which brought in displaced Indian estate labor from the plantations as well as illicit immigrants from India into the Vanni. Whilst the area under the Kandyan Kingdom have been settled by the British as well as after independence progressively settling both Sinhales, Tamils, as well as Muslims which is once again not the traditional Homelands of the Tamils as claimed by Mr. C. Sunderalingan and those who repeat his hypothesis that have no basis for such claims by the TULF and the LTTE. Thus it is blatantly clear that the Elam Map of the so called Tamil homeland have no basis as it is a myth.
5. Conclusion: This analysis clearly indicates that so called Elam Map of Mr. C. Sunderlingam adopted by both the TULF as well as the LTTE has no basis. This is clearly established from historical evidence as well as the maps provided by the Portuguese as well as the Dutch. Apart from the western seaboard and the Jaffna Peninsula the surrounding Islands and a few areas in the Vanni, the rest of the island was under the suzerainty of the Kingdom of Kandy. The Tamil Homeland concept based on the Elam map is therefore a Myth without any historical basis.
Excerpts from "Dravidian Settlements in Ceylon and the beginnings of the Jaffna Kingdom" by Dr Karthigesu Indrapalan
Until the ninth century, with the exception of the megalithic remains of pomparippu and the possible exception of those of Katiraveli, there is no definite evidence regarding and Dravidian settlement in the island. (page 51)
No definite evidence regarding any significant Tamil settlement in the Batticaloa district of the Eastern Province, or in other parts of Southern Ceylon has so far come to light. It is possible that there were some Tamil settlers in the Battialoa district from the thirteenth century onwards; we get archeological, epigraphic and literary evidence pointing to Tamil settlements in the area. (page 233)
It may be recollected that several writers on the history of Jaffna, basing their studies on the traditional legends found in the late Tamil chronicles, have put forward certain theories claiming the establishment of Tamil settlements in Jaffna in the period of the Anuradhapura rulers. These theories are not accepted by serious students of history as they are not based on trustworthy data. Many of these have been convincingly dismissed by scholars in recent years.
It is therefore, not our intention to analyze these theories and take serious notice of writings which at best could be described as popular. (page 266)
Jaffna peninsula does not help us to know anything about the identity of the people who lived there in the pre-Christian centuries.
The Pali chronicle informs us that the port of Jambukola (Camputturai), on the eastern cost of the peninsula, was the main port of embarkation to Tamralipti in Eastern India from at least the time of King Devanampriya Tissa (250-210 B.C.). The two embassies from the island to the court of Asoka embarked on their voyage from Jambukola. Sangamitta arrived with the Bo-sapling at this port.
The Samudda-panna-sala, commemorating the arrival of the Bo sapling, and the Jambukola Vihara were built there by Devanampriya Tissa. These facts only reveal that the northern most part of the island was under the suzerainty of the Anuradhapura king in the third century B.C. and that Buddhism had begun to spread by that time in that part of the island as in the other parts. But it is in the second century AD that we get some evidence regarding the people living there.
The language of the gold plate inscription from Vallipuram, the earliest epigraphic record discovered in the Jffna peninsula, is the early form of Sinhalese, in which inscriptions of the time in other parts of the island were written.
This may suggest that the Sinhlese were settled in the Jaffna peninsula, or in some parts at least, in the second century A.D. There were perhaps Tamil traders in the port of Jambukola but there is no evidence that points to Tamil settlements in the peninsula. (page 268)
The gold plate from Vallipuram reveals that there were Buddhists in that part of the peninsula in the second century A.D. At the site of this inscription the foundations are in the premises of a modern Visnu temple. There is little doubt that the Visnu temple was the original Buddhist monument converted in to a Vaisnava establishment at a later date when Tamils settled in the area.
Such conversion of Buddhist establishments into Saiva and Vaisnava temples seems to have been a common phenomenon in the peninsula after it was settled by Dravidians.
In the premised of another Visnu temple at Moolai were discovered some ‘vestiges of ancient remains of walls’ and a broken sedent Buddha image. Again in a Saiva temple at Mahiyapitti a Buddha image was found under a stone step in the temple tank. A lime-stone Buddha image and the remains of an ancient dagaba were unearthed at Nilavarai, in Navakiri.
Among the debris were two sculptured fragments of shaped coral stones with a stone railing design.
According to D.T.Devendra, who conducted the excavation at this site, the dagaba can be dated at least to the tenth century A. D. Near these ruins are the foundations of an ancient building and in the middle of thesis a modern Siva temple. It has been conjectured, and rightly so, that the old foundations are those of the vihara attached to the ancient dagaba.
Buddha images have also been discovered in Uduvil, Kantarodai and Jaffna town. Kantarodai has yeilded very important Buddhist establishment in the region in early times.
Such artifacts as the glazed tiles and the circular discs discovered here have helped to connect the finds with those of Auradhapura.
The Sinhala Nampota, dated in its present form to the fourteenth or fifteenth century, preserved the names of some of the placed of Buddhist worship I the Jaffna peninsula, Kantarodai is mentioned among these places. The others are Nagakovila (Nakarkovil), Telipola (Tellippalai), Mallagama (Mallakam), Minuwangomu Viharaya (Vimankaram). Tanjidivayina
(Tana-tivu or kayts), Nagadivayina (Nkativu or Nayinatovu). Puvangudivayina (Punkutu-tivu) and Kradivayina (Karaitivu).
Of the Buddhist establishments in these places only the vihara and Dagabo at Nakativu have survived to this day. It is justifiable to assume that the Nampotalist dates back time when the Buddhist establishments of these places were well known centres of worship. This was probably before the thirteenth century, for after this date the people of the Jaffna peninsula were mainly Saivas.
The foregoing evidence points to the inevitable conclusion that in the Anuradhapura period, and possibly till about the twelfth century, there were Buddhists in the Jaffna peninsula.
Although it may appear reasonable to presume that these Buddhists were Sinhalese like those in other parts of the island, some have tried to argue that they were Tamils. While it is true that there were Tamil Buddhists in South India and Ceylon before the twelfth century and possibly even later, there is evidence to show that the Buddhists who occupied the Jaffna peninsula in the Anuradhapura period were Sinhalese.
We refer to the toponymic evidence which unmistakably points to the presence if Sinhala settlers in the peninsula before Tamils settled there.
In an area of only about nine hundred square miles covered by this peninsula, there occur over a thousand Sinhalese place names which have survived in a Tamil garb. (page 270-273)
The Yalppana-vaipava-malai, the Tamil chronicle of Jaffna, confirms this when it states that there were Sinhalese people in Jaffna at the time of the first Tamil colonisation of the area.
Secondly, the survival of Sinhalese elements on the local nomenclature indicates a slow and peaceful penetration of Tamils in the area rather than violent occupation. This is in contrast with the evidence of the place names of the North Central Province, where Sinhalese names have been largely replaced by Tamil names. The large percentage of Sinhalese element and the occurrence of Sinhala and Tamil compounds in the place names of Jaffna point to a long survival of the Sinhala population and an intimate intercourse between them and the Tamils.
This is also, borne out by the retention of some territorial names, like Valikamam (Sinhala- Valigama) and Maracci (Maracci-rata), which points to the retention of the old territorial divisions and tell strongly against wholesale extermination or displacement of the Sinhalese population.. (page 276)
The earliest evidence regarding the presence of Tamils in the Jaffna peninsula is possible from the Tamil inscription of Parakramabahu I (1153 - 1186) from Nainativu. We have seen earlier that till about the ninth century our evidence points to minor settlements of Tamils in such important ports as Mahatitha (Mannar) and Gokanna (Trincomalee) as well as in Anuradhapura, where there were considerable number of mercenary soldiers.
In the ninth and tenth centuries some villages in Rajarattha seem to have accommodated Tamil settlers but these were by no means numerous. it seems unlikely that there were many Tamil settlers in the Jaffna peninsula or in any part of the island other that the major ports and the capital city before the tenth century.
As we stated earlier, there were perhaps some Tamil traders in the ports of Jambukola and Uratota, in the Jaffna peninsula. But we have no evidence on this point.. (page 282)
The Sanskrit inscription from Trincomalee, discovered among the ruins of the Konesvram temple, refers to a personage names Cadaganga who went to Ceylon in1223. Paranavitana had identified this person with Kulakkottan.
The inscription is fragmentary and is engraved on a part of a stone door jamb. Among the decipherable words is the name Gokarna, the ancient name of Trincomalee and the root from which the name of the temple is derived (Gokarnesvara). (page 331)
In the Tamil Vanni districts only a few Dravidian style Saiva temples of the thirteenth century have been found. Among these the temples at Tirukkovil, Kapuralla, and Nallatanni-irakkam and the Saiva remains at Uruttirapuram and Kuruntanur are notable.
These certainly indicate the existence or Tamil settlements in those places in the thirteenth century.
But monumental remains of a different type attest to the destruction wrought by the invaders and the conversion of Buddhist institutions in to places of Saiva worship, effected by the new settlers, thus confirming the statements in the Sinhala sources.
The many scattered ruins of Buddhist monasteries and temples all over the Vanni region preserve the memory of the Sinhalese Buddhist settlements that once covered these parts.
Several of the pilima-ges (image houses) attached to the monasteries in places like Kovilkadu, Malikai, Omantai, Kankarayan-kulam, Iracentiran-kulam,Cinnappuvaracankulam and Madukanda were converted into Saiva tempels, often dedicated to Ganesa.
Buddha images or inscribed slabs from the Buddhist structures were used to make the Ganesa statues (J.P. Lewis, Manual of the Vanni Districts, pp. 297, 303-306, 311).
A number of small Saiva shrines have been found in association with Buddhist remains. The destruction of several of the Buddhist edifices and the conversion of pilima-ges into Saiva temples may have begun at the time of Magha.
In the North Central Province too, we find evidence of such activities. On Minneriya Road, close to Polonnaruwa, were discovered a few Saiva edifies which were build of materials from Buddhist structures.
A door jamb from one of the Saiva shrines there was found to bear part of an inscription of Parakramabahu 1.
A broken pillar shaft with Sinhalese writing of the tenth century was recovered from the enclosing wall of another shrine.
In one of the Visnu temples of Polonnaruwa, fragments of Nissankamalla’s stone inscriptions were found. In the same place, two fragments of a broken pillar with Sinhalese writing about the tenth century served as steps o one of the Vaisnava shrines.
A pillar in the mandapa of Siva Devale No. 5 at Polonnaruwa was discovered with a Sinhala inscription of the eleventh century on it. In Siva Devale No.7 a square stone asana with an inscription of Nissankamalla was used as a base for a linga.
Another of the Saiva shrines unearthed at Polonnaruwa yeilded a pillar with a Sinhalese inscription of Jayabahu 1.
These examples leave us in no doubt that materials from Buddhist structures were used in the building of Saiva and Vaisnava temples.
The date of most inscriptions found on the pillars and slabs is the twelfth century. The date of the construction of these Saiva and Vaisanava shrines is certainly later than that. (page 361-364)The invasion of Kalinga Magha with the help of Kerala and Tamil mercenaries was far more violent than the earlier invasions. Its chief importance lies in the fact that it led to the permanent dislodgement of Sinhalese power from northern Ceylon, the confiscation by Tamils and Keralas of lands and properties belonging to the Sinhalese and the consequent migration of the official class and many of the common people to the south western regions. (page 395-396).
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